Nowt So Queer As Folk

/Folklore/York/Yorklore

Preliminary research has already begun (Sept 2020) into the possibility of a York-specific Queer archive that could result in a final document detailing a chronological history & a site-specific performance walkthrough of significant sites of queer historical interest. Having established a queer past, I can begin to explore modern queer spaces, and begin to map out a future for facilitating further queer performance spaces in the city.

Following an exploration of identity & stories as personal “ghosts” & also using historical connections as applicable to a wider York historical landscape, I will begin to find ways to map out this unchartered territory onto a modern York through performance. The overall objective is to research a historical precedent for queer spaces, explore the potential for modern queer spaces, and to develop a framework for proliferating further queer spaces.

Queer spaces, at this stage, can be understood to refer to creating performance spaces & writing spaces. Where ancient queer spaces may be the queering of found text or using existing examples of ancient site-specific spaces to create new works.